WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture conducted an inspection and evaluation animal health status and buffalo production system of Brazil for possible accreditation to exPort live buffaloes to the Philippines;

WHEREAS, after thorough evaluation, the Department of Agriculture found favorable conditions that merit allowing the importation of live buffaloes from Brazil.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARTHUR C. YAP, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture by the power vested in me by law, do hereby issue this order granting accreditation to Brazil to export live buffaloes into the Philippines subject to the following conditions:

1. The minimum requirements set by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) especially in relation to the diseases present in Brazil on the importation of live buffaloes shall be followed;

2. Only buffaloes from Rio Grande do Sul, OIE recognized Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)-free area with vaccination of Brazil, will be allowed for importa tion;

3. Imported buffaloes shall only be allowed in Luzon except in Palawan and Masbate wherein FMD vaccination is not practiced. A post-importation quaran tine will be undertaken in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija for sixty (60) days;

4. The protocol provided in the Veterinary Quarantine Clearance (VQC) to im port breeder animals shall be strictly followed; and

5. There should be a veterinary quarantine officer from the Philippines to under take a pre-shipment quarantine of at least thirty (30) days and witness the loading of buffaloes at the port of embarkation to examine any clinical signs of diseases and other necessary documents for the export of buffaloes into the Philippines.

All importation of live buffaloes shall be accompanied by a VQC to import signed by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture or his duly authorized representative and have complied with the rules and regulations of the Department of Agriculture.

All orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted; 02 July 2008

(SGD.) ARTHUR C. YAP
Secretary